Running Light
by Politics.and.Prose
Summary: Ben needs Cal, Matt and Danny to run 4 minutes light after News 60.


"I need you to give me a few extra minutes at the end of News 60," Ben announced as he barged into the Friday Night Slaughter.

"Get out," his father said absently.

"I need you to run light after News 60. I need a few minutes."

"For what?" Cal asked, eyes running over the board seeing if he even _could_ go light a few minutes after News 60.

"I can't tell you."

"This isn't the improv, Ben," Danny said as he pulled off a card that read _An Inconvenient Truth: Bush Still Won_. "This isn't working."

"Yeah," muttered Matt. "Kate did pretty well with Nancy Grace. Keep it?"

"Cut it," both Danny and Cal said. "It didn't get enough laughs," Cal explained.

"How much more?"

"Still heavy 5:04," Cal replied as he looked at his sheet.

"We can shave time off …"

"Shut up, Ben," Matt told his son.

"I need four minutes at the end of News 60. Keep a clock on me. I don't care. I need the time."

"What for?" Cal asked again, staring at Tom Jeter's old sketch Metric Conversion Man. He narrowed his eyes and gave Matt a pin to put in it.

"I won't tell you. I didn't do it in dress and I … please. Hear me out on this. I can't tell you what it is. I know I need it to be completely off-the-script. I know how you hate that, Dad, but I need it tonight. No one else can know about it and even if I tell you guys and just you guys, people will know. Please. Trust me," Ben begged.

"Okay," Danny said as he looked up at the younger man. His eyes were narrowed as he took in the kid's pleading voice and nervous stance. "Okay. We're 9:04 heavy. Let's trim it up."

"Cut something of mine. Actually, cut two somethings of mine. Cut whatever you need in order to give me that four minutes," Ben said.

"We already said you could have the time, kid," Matt said with a smile. "Go get ready for the cold open."

"Thanks. Thank you. You won't be disappointed. I swear," Ben said as he tried to push the door open and ended up walking into it. He grimaced slightly before pulling it open and walking out into the hallway.

Danny sat down on the desk and put his feet on Matt's chair. He exhaled loudly as they tacked on the four minutes for Ben after News 60. "I'm gunna hate this show tonight …" he muttered.

Cal and Matt shared a small smile before looking up at the board again. "Rabid Easter Bunny?"

"Cut it," Danny sighed. "God, I wish I wasn't an alcoholic."

"Why?" Cal muttered as he pulled down the Easter Bunny sketch. "5:11."

"Because I could use a damn drink right about now."

"Danny," Matt started.

"Just … we need 5:11. Let's find it."

"Let's cut the Nicholas Cage sketch," Matt said.

"Nah. Let's get rid of Metric Conversion Man and, uhm, Buffalo Billy Zane. We'll be about 30 seconds light and that will probably be used by Ben," Cal responded.

All three men took a step back and looked at the board. Matt's eyes wandered to the clock – 10 minutes to cold open.

"Good show," Cal said.

"Good show," Danny and Matt responded before heading downstairs.

As they walked through the hallway, Matt surveyed his friend. "Okay there?"

"I wouldn't say that, no."

Matt sighed, "Danny …"

"It's … I could be wrong. In fact, there's nothing more than I want in this moment than to be so wrong my head is spinning. But you and I know I'm not. I didn't have to go through this with Becky yet … I was hoping Katie would give me some more time."

"It's not like there's going to be a big change, buddy. Just … think of it as gaining a son."

"Shut up," Danny muttered. "Circle up!"

The cast assembled in the same place they had been for almost fifty years. "Whose turn is it?" Matt asked.

"Ben's," Alex, Tom and Kate said.

"Ahh, bless us, O Lord, and grant us strength, wisdom, luck and hilarity. Be with us all as we make your people smile tonight, O Lord." He paused. "And please let everything go as planned."

"It won't," Tom laughed. "Allison Janney's hosting again."

"God I wish your mother'd taught you how to pray," Danny said with a forced laugh.

Ben's eyes widened. She always hosted the disaster shows. Not good.

They broke and some headed for the stage for the cold open. Before Ben knew what was happening, he was shoved against the wall and there were lips against his. He irrationally wondered if they were Kate's.

"Good show," she smiled when she broke the kiss.

"Good show," he whispered back as she turned to go to the stage.

---

The show went on without a hitch and then at 12:07 it was time for News 60.

Ben was obviously nervous and Kate couldn't understand why. He had been switching seats with her vocally all night. One minute he would tell her he needed her to sit stage right, then stage left, then stage right again. She was always stage left. She thought she even heard him muttering about not wanting the desk there at all.

It was a good thing he didn't ask them to remove the desk though. He was shaking like a leaf the entire time the news was on.

"I'm Kate Tripp," Kate said with a smile.

"And I'm Ben Albie …" he took a deep breath. "Wait," he said, grabbing his ear and pretending he was getting instructions from elsewhere. "This just in …" He closed his eyes for a moment before turning to Kate. "We have a bit of news that's going to be a News 60 exclusive."

Kate arched an eyebrow at him but said nothing.

"I can't stop thinking about you."

"Ben," Kate said, eyes wide, as she looked around for someone to tell her what was going on.

"You're everything to me."

"What're you doing?" she whispered with a forced nervous laugh.

"This is going to come out all wring but I have to try. I have to … I've been wondering how to do this for a while now and I just can't wait anymore. I love you, Kate."

"I love you too," she smiled, still wondering what the hell was going on.

"You're the last thing I think about at night and the first thing I think about in the morning."

"Ben, you're not making any sense. What's going on? Cal's going to kill you. So's Dad."

"I don't doubt the second part of that …" he muttered. Taking another deep breath, Ben reached over and took Kate's hands. "I know I'm not good at this. I know I'm not the brightest guy in the world, but I do know two things. I loved you a minute ago and I'll love you a minute from now. And that's all I need to know. Except for one thing … I need to know … will you marry me?"

Ben took her by the hands and pulled her in front of the News 60 desk. He smiled slightly before getting to one knee and producing a three diamond platinum ring. "I love you, Katie. Please say yes."

"Oh, Ben, of course!" she smiled.

He popped up and slid the ring on her finger before wrapping his arms around her. "I love you. Thank you."

She wrapped her arms around him as well and kissed him before responding, "I can't believe you did that. I love you too." She paused. "But Dad's going to kill you for running over."

"He, Cal and my dad knew. Sort of. I asked for the time and Danny got this look on his face …"

"Well, he'd better get used to it … because you're going to be my husband."

Ben's smile grew. "I like the sound of that, future Mrs. Tripp-Albie."

"Mmm, how about just Mrs. Albie?"

"Even better," he smiled before kissing her again.

"Would you two get off the stage?" Danny called. "Allison's got to announce Foo Fighters."

"Sorry, Dad!" Kate called before pulling Ben off the stage, past Danny.

"Yeah," Ben called with a laugh. "Sorry, Dad!"

Danny frowned and picked up the phone, dialing Matt.

"Yeah?"

"I hate your kid," Danny said before hanging up.

"Well, this is going to be a thing …" Matt muttered aloud.


End file.
